Charlotte Cajun Queen

Cauliflower Mac.

Published on January 28, 2019January 29, 2019 by Charlotte Cajun Queen1 Comment

I think this year will mark 30 years that macaroni and cheese has been my favorite food. There’s something about this cheesy comfort food that always leaves me feeling cozy and satisfied inside. A small twist on a classic recipe will let you enjoy this scrumptious staple with a little less guilt about going back for seconds. Also, this recipe is a great way to sneak in veggies for your kids!

Cauliflower Mac (Serves 4)

Ingredients:

8 oz noodles, any medium sized shape (we like shells)
12 oz bag of frozen cauliflower
1 1/2 cups of milk
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 Tbsp butter, plus 1 Tbsp melted
3 Tbsp flour
1 tsp spicy brown mustard (or Dijon)
1/4 – 1/2 cup breadcrumbs (DIY recipe here at the bottom)
Salt and pepper to taste

Steps:

Preheat oven to 350°F and spray casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.
In salted boiling water, cook noodles and frozen cauliflower for about 7 minutes. Time may differ depending on noodles. Follow box instructions for al dente.
Meanwhile, melt butter on medium/medium-high heat in large saucepan. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute.
Slowly whisk in milk and mustard and stir until sauce thickens (a few minutes).
Remove from heat and stir in shredded cheese.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Strain noodles and cauliflower and add to casserole dish. Stir in cheese sauce.
Add breadcrumbs to melted butter and sprinkle on top.
Bake for 10-15 minutes or until brown and bubbly.
Enjoy!

Meat Muffins, anyone?

Published on December 10, 2018December 10, 2018 by Charlotte Cajun QueenLeave a comment

Sounds kind of gross I know. But it’s our family’s name for basically meatballs that are cooked in a muffin tin. This recipe is only 4 steps and cooks less than 30 minutes. Also, there are so many varieties to what you could do with this recipe I thought it would be a good “basic” one to share and then you could adopt it and alter it for your family.

Ingredients:

1 lb ground chicken
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs (will post recipe below for homemade breadcrumbs – super easy!)
1 egg
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400° and spray mini muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray.
Mix all ingredients together until just incorporated. Do not over mix.
Use greased Tbsp measuring spoon/scoop to scoop out mixture and fill muffin tin.
Bake for 25 minutes until lightly golden brown.

Makes about 18 meat muffins.

Meat Muffin adaptations:

Top with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese during last 5 minutes of baking.
Add muffins to pita pocket and dollop with Tzatziki sauce.
Top with BBQ sauce during last 5 minutes of baking.
Top with cheddar cheese and a sliced jalapeno during last 5 minutes of baking.

Enjoy!

Bonus Recipe

Homemade seasoned Breadcrumbs

Using a food processor, finely chop 4 pieces of bread (whatever you have on hand; I use whole grain sandwich bread). Mix in 1/2 Tbsp Italian seasoning and 1/4 tsp of garlic powder and pulse a few times to mix. Spread crumbs onto baking sheet and bake at 300° for 5 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes. Keep sealed in a bag in cool dry place for up to 2 weeks.

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.

Published on November 30, 2018November 30, 2018 by Charlotte Cajun QueenLeave a comment

Is anyone else freaking out about the upcoming release of the new Mary Poppins movie, Mary Poppins Returns?!?! It hits theaters December 19th, an early Christmas present for me! Mary Poppins is my all time favorite movie, so as an ode to the MP revival, I thought it would be fun to share how I captured tidbits of the fantasy of MP in my little girl Evie’s nursery.

When I was feverishly searching Pinterest for design ideas for little girl’s nursery, I came across something that sparked the idea of imparting a little Mary Poppins magic into her room. Thus, that’s where it began and here is a glimpse of the outcome. I cannot wait for the day when I get to watch this movie with Evie – I hope she loves it as much as I do!

“Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” Print (11″x14″) – BubbleGum Years etsy shop
Distressed white mirror – Hobby Lobby
Antique wall spoon – Hobby Lobby
Lamps – were my Grandma’s and we spray painted them pink
Clouds wall decal – RoomMates Wall Decals
Cloud wall bookshelf – Target
Let’s go fly a Kite – DIY project with cardboards, scrapbook paper, and ribbon
Penguin and Umbrella print (flanking mirror) – DIY project with leftover paper
Spoonful of Sugar jar – Home Goods
Pottery Barn Crib
Ikea Hemnes Dresser
Little white side table – from local antique store Well Worth It
Pink shag rug – Walmart

What are some of your favorite childhood movies that you still cherish today?

Crafty Thanksgiving Tradition

Published on November 8, 2018November 9, 2018 by Charlotte Cajun QueenLeave a comment

It’s nearing that time of the year where family traditions are shared amongst your loved ones. In preparation for the upcoming turkey day, I’d love to share with you a tradition that I’ve started with my kids, which carried over from something I used to love doing as a child and continued into my adult life. Thanksgiving name place cards. I actually have no idea how it started – it probably began one year with me coloring everyone’s name on an index card, glorifying them with fall related stickers. Either way, I remember it being something that I looked forward to doing every Thanksgiving. Now with my kids, it’s something fun and creative that we can do as a family and also creates a keepsake for years to come.

The basics:

Start with some form of card stock, scrapbook paper, or even buy cheap pre-made place cards from local craft store.
Write the names on the cards.
Decorate with fun stickers, glitter, feathers and other crafty add-ons.
Hint: tiny hands make for cute turkeys!

Here is one of my favorites from recent years past made courtesy of Brooks.

We cut glittery scrapbook paper into squares, added painted hand turkey with googly eyes, and finished them off with more glittery pumpkin stickers and glitter glue names.

Last year we took the easy road (aka waited until the last minute and also had a 7 month old) and bought the pre-made fold over cards and added giant 3-D turkey stickers.

This year we are going to “pimp out our pine cones”! Since there is no shortage of pine cones in Asheville, which is where we are travelling this year, I thought this would be an easy and cheap project. Going on the hunt for pine cones will be half the fun and I think any kid would love to paint them and who knows, maybe add a little sprinkle of glitter.

I’d love to hear about your family’s holiday traditions and ideas for place cards. Feel free to leave a comment below. Happy Turkey Day!

Fiesta Dip!

Published on November 2, 2018December 29, 2018 by Charlotte Cajun QueenLeave a comment

This is by far one of my most requested “recipes”, so I wanted to share it with all of you! I threw this together for a Cinco de Mayo party several years ago and it’s been a staple dish at many parties ever since. It’s super easy – no cooking involved, just assembly — and it’s pretty too! It’s a perfect side dish for any summer BBQ or your weekly Taco Tuesday fiesta! You can serve it as a dip with tortilla chips or simply as a salad on the side. Here’s what you need for this yummy, healthy dip:

One can black beans, strained and rinsed
One small can of corn, strained
One carton of grape or cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
One bell pepper, diced (I use orange to add to the variety of colors)
1-2 avocados, cubed
A dash or 2 of cumin & chili powder and salt / garlic salt (to taste)
Juice of half a lime
Cilantro

Combine all ingredients together and ENJOY!

Chilly nights call for Chili nights.

Published on October 19, 2018October 20, 2018 by Charlotte Cajun QueenLeave a comment

I was hesitant to write a post about this because if you’re anything like me, I’m very particular about my chili, and I assume everyone else is too. Most people have their “go-to” chili recipe, one that they’ve grown up on and can replicate over and over again blindfolded. But for those of you who don’t have a “go-to” chili recipe or you want to deviate and try something different, allow me to share mine. It’s SUPER easy 30 minute recipe, and you can obviously tailor it to how you like it, creating your own “go-to” chili recipe.

Ratio. It’s all about the ratio for me and I love beans! Lots of beans!!! If beans aren’t for you, you may want to quit reading now. But if you’re a bean lover, you’re in good company. Without further ado, here’s my “recipe”:

1 lb ground organic turkey or beef
1 can dark red kidney beans
1 can of black beans, strained and rinsed (you can use any kind of beans you like)
1 14oz can diced tomatoes
1 cup diced zucchini
1 packet of Chili seasoning mix (we prefer mild McCormick)
Shredded cheddar cheese and Fritos, for toppings

Instructions:

Heat 2 Tbsp oil in a large heavy pot over medium/high heat, and brown the meat. If using a high fat content beef, drain excess grease after browning meat.
Add zucchini and cook for a few more minutes, until softened.
Stir in packet of seasoning and let cook 1 min.
Add kidney beans and strained black beans.
Add can of diced tomatoes.
Add 1/2 cup of water and stir all together.
Bring chili to simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
Ladle chili into bowl and top with cheese and Fritos.
Enjoy!

Don’t play with your food…or do!

Published on October 15, 2018 by Charlotte Cajun Queen3 Comments

As a mom of two, I know how hard it can be to get your kids to eat their food at meal time. Dinner is by far our most challenging meal, as many of you can probably relate. After a long, stressful day at work, the last thing you want to do is have to figure out a dinner that you can throw together in less than 30 minutes that will make everyone happy. Add on the juggle of a 4 year old and 18 month old, and dinner prep is not usually something I look forward to either. It’s on nights like these, when I have nothing planned for dinner that I like to turn to some of my easy, go-to staples. And when you can throw in a little FUN, sometimes it turns the dinner challenge into a dinner winner. Tonight, we incorporated a little ghoulish Halloween fun into our dinner!

On the menu…

GHOST TOAST with extra GHOST EYEBALLS – any kind of bread toasted (we had pumpkin toast), spread with cream cheese and 2 blueberries as eyes. Extra “eyeballs” on the side
SCARECROW BRAINS – scrambled eggs with your favorite cheese
Magical WAND – fully cooked sausage links, heated in pan (hint: I told Brooks the magic only lasts for 3 spells, and then it’s gone – otherwise your little goblins will never eat it…didn’t foresee this coming)
WITCHES BREW – milk or drink of choice; kids can stir a little Nesquik into their cauldron if you choose

Evie’s wand had to be cut into pieces…

Brooks’ best “ooooooo” ghost sound

If you’re looking for some other ways to incorporate some fun into your food here’s what you need:

Start with a vessel — whole grain bread, bagels, tortillas, pizza crusts, etc.
Add a spread aka “the glue” — hummus, cream cheese (all flavors), peanut butter, tomato sauce, pesto, etc.
Add whatever fun toppings you want — fruits, veggies, shredded cheese, pepperoni, beans, etc. Hint: letting your kiddos help “decorate” their creations gets them involved, which I find makes them want to try new things. Win win!
Be creative! I keep an abundant amount of cookie cutters on hand to cut out fun shapes. Some of the faves include the teddy bear, heart, car, dinosaur, apple, flower, and airplane.
Feel free to share some of your favorite fun food ideas — I would love to add them to my list!

What doesn’t kill you makes you STRONGER.

Published on October 9, 2018October 9, 2018 by Charlotte Cajun Queen1 Comment

This mantra is something I’ve always held on to when times get tough. I’d like to dedicate this post, in honor of breast cancer awareness month, to my momma, and tell you a little bit about her, and how she shaped me into the woman I am today.

The date was August 2014. James and I were sitting on the couch watching tv. There weren’t many other activities I wanted to partake in while being 8 months pregnant. My cell phone rang and it was my mom, which was not unusual since we talk at least a couple of times a week. But the one thing I did know, because she is a horrible liar and her voice tells all, was that something was wrong. Very wrong. The news, which hit me like a Mack truck crashing into every bone in my giant pregnant body, was devastating. My mom had cancer. Breast cancer. What?! No one in our family has had breast cancer, so it came as quite a shock. It was nearly impossible to digest. While I held it together on the phone, asking her all the hows, whens, and whats, as soon as the call was over, I broke down, collapsing into the arms of my husband. Fortunately, James had already talked to my parents and knew what was coming. I couldn’t even begin to believe what I had just heard.

Just a few weeks later my mom underwent her first surgery, the first step on her journey to fighting back against cancer. And just a couple of weeks later, her first grandchild was born. Never in my life have I experience such a dynamic shift in emotions, so I cannot even fathom the roller coaster my mom was on. Her trek continued when she underwent another surgery, followed by 6 chemo treatments, and 32 radiation treatments, bringing her treatment course to nearly a full year. There were ups and downs with some mountains and trenches along the way, but my mom never gave up. I remember talking to her often and while she was generally in good spirits the day before chemo, she was a mess the days following, her body battling to keep up with the chemo she had just received.

While I cannot even begin to tell you the depths of her story, or the highs and lows she went through physically, emotionally, and spiritually, I can tell you this: my momma is a ROCKSTAR. Three years later and she remains cancer free! Reflective of her positive spirit in life, she never once complains about anything or anyone (well sometimes about my dad…lol). She has ALWAYS been there and continues to be there for me and my bros – I only wish that I can be half the mom she is. She epitomizes the term hard worker. She has worked her butt off for everything that she has, earning every piece of it. One of my fondest memories growing up as a young woman was going into my mom’s office at work. It oozed dedication, confidence and joy — all of which I think she instilled in my own work ethic. She is selfless. I mean the lady was handed a cancer diagnosis and she was more worried about telling me because she didn’t want it to affect the pregnancy or baby. She never ceases to amaze me.

Often times we coin cancer survivors as “fighters”. Well, for my mom, it wasn’t in August 2014 when she started fighting. She has always been a fighter. She did not let her cancer diagnosis define her. Instead, she redefined cancer. She’s a warrior. For me, for my brothers and my dad, her grandkids, her family, her friends, her church, and anyone else she has a relationship with in her life. She will continue to fight because that’s who she is. She doesn’t give up on anyone. You can only be so lucky to have her as a part of your life. I know I am, and I thank God for her everyday. Despite this journey being one of the most difficult things in my life, I am so grateful for my mom, and for the lessons she has taught me throughout this journey and life. Remember, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. I love you Momma/GiGi!

For those of you reading this who are cancer warriors, or have your own warriors in your life, I praise you and envy your strength and tenacity. You are awesome.

White Bean, Sausage, & Kale Soup

Published on September 28, 2018 by Charlotte Cajun QueenLeave a comment

One of my favorite soups of all time…White beans, sausage, and kale. I have a love for anything white beans or sausage, so I knew I couldn’t go wrong marrying the two together in this hearty soup. Living in the trendy “super foods” era, the addition of kale made this recipe ever more popular with friends and family. Quick and easy, this is a stove top recipe that takes less than 30 minutes to make, but as with any soup, is better the longer it simmers, and even more savory the next day. Topped with shaved Parmesan and a piece (or 2) of crusty bread, and this soup will leave you feeling warm and satiated long into the night. Without further ado, here are the ingredients and step by step.

Ingredients list:

(Note: I tend to use what I already have on hand so feel free to do the same.)

1 pack (12-16 oz) of sausages, sliced (I used precooked Boar’s Head chicken sausage, but you can use whatever you like or have. If my kids weren’t eating it, I would use Italian spicy sausage.)
2 cans white beans, one drained and rinsed and one with their juice
Bag of kale, or a bunch of fresh kale, chopped (make your life easy and buy the bag – you will only use some of it, and will have leftovers for your kale smoothies or chip)
Small yellow onion, chopped
Garlic clove, minced
3/4 c. Baby Carrots or 2-3 whole carrots, sliced (I had a bag of baby carrots from the kids’ snacks so I used those)
1 can of diced tomatoes (can also use crushed tomatoes, or actual tomatoes)
8 cups or two 32 oz. cartons of chicken stock
Italian seasoning (my go-to is Mrs. Dash Italian Medley)
Salt and pepper to taste
2 TBSP Olive oil
Optional: small yellow potatoes (I had a few leftover so I quartered them and tossed them in the pot); crusty bread and Parmesan for serving.

Step by Step:

Heat 2 TBSP olive oil in large heavy pot over medium/high heat. Add chopped onions and carrots, and cook until softened, about 6 minutes.
Add the sliced, precooked sausage and garlic and cook another 2 minutes. Note: if you are using uncooked sausage, you will want to reverse steps 1 and 3 and cook the sausage first before adding in the carrots and onions.
Season with about 1 tsp of salt, 1/4 tsp of pepper, and 1/2 – 1 tsp of Italian seasoning. I don’t measure but rather give it a few hefty shakes.
Add the can of diced tomatoes, and 8 cups of chicken stock.
Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium/low and simmer for at least 10 minutes.
Add white beans, and 2 heaping handfuls of kale (about 2 cups). It will look like a lot in the pot but it will cook down.
Raise heat to medium and cook for another 5-10 minutes, until kale is tender. Taste soup and add more salt/pepper if you’d like. Continue to simmer on low for 30 minutes if you want to and have time, but not necessary!
Ladle soup into bowl and garnish with Parmesan cheese, served with a side of crusty bread. Enjoy!

Birthday Kabobs!

Published on September 26, 2018September 26, 2018 by Charlotte Cajun Queen2 Comments

Allow me to introduce you to our newly turned 4 year old B-Man, formerly Baby Brooks (but will always be BB if you ask his daddy). For the past 3 years, we have done the obligatory cupcakes or cookies for his class birthday celebration. Although I may groan about it, not recognizing what I get myself into sometimes, I secretly love doing it. But this year I vowed to do something different. Tired of the fake-colored, sugary store-bought treats, I feverishly searched Pinterest for “alternatives to school cupcakes”. While I did not find exactly what I was looking for, partly because I did not know what I was looking for, I did come away from my search with some ideas.

I wanted to do something fun for the kids and something B could help me make for his friends. That’s how we came up with the kabob idea.
I wanted something decently healthy, so fruit was the focus.
It also had to have a “birthday flare” to it, so of course, sprinkles came to mind. And what could I douse in sprinkles, that would also fit on a kabob? One of Brooks’ favorite treats, MARSHMALLOWS.
Thus, 1+2+3 = Birthday Kabobs!

These treats were super easy to make, and a really fun way to get your kiddos involved; only if you don’t mind them eating the project along the way, as evidenced above. Also, for those fans of the show Umizoomi and Milli’s pattern power (in your best singing voice), this activity provides a great opportunity for your kids to learn about patterns. And yes, I realize I missed a blueberry on one – oops!

Here’s what you need to make the kabobs:

Assortment of whatever fruit you like that can be skewered. We used strawberries, bananas, blueberries, and canned pineapple chunks.
A bag of big marshmallows
Sprinkles
Chocolate candy melts – you can find these at your local craft store in all colors. I used the white chocolate party melts.
8″ treat sticks – also found at local craft store. They look like the white cake pop sticks.

And here is how:

Wash hands 🙂
Have your marshmallows ready to dip, and pour the sprinkles out on a plate or any shallow pan with sides.
Melt the chocolate candy according to the directions on the bag. You have to work kind of fast before the chocolate hardens again, but even if it does, just nuke it again to melt it.
Dip the ends of the marshmallows into the chocolate, then the sprinkles, and set on wax paper. Repeat for as many as you need. We made 20 kabobs, but probably had 25 marshmallows to begin with. They seemed to disappear along the way.
Wash and prep the fruit. Trim the tops off the strawberries, and slice the larger ones in half. Cut the bananas into one inch rounds.
Skewer the fruit and end the kabob with one of the birthday marshmallows. Brooks helped me with making the marshmallows but I skewered the actual fruit, while he helped me with the pattern.
Enjoy! I will admit I was a little nervous about Brooks’ friends just eating the marshmallows and leaving the fruit on the stick, but I was pleasantly surprised that every kid (all 19 of them) ate every.single.bite. of the kabobs. And the teachers enjoyed them too. They were a hit and Brooks was so proud to be able to say he helped make them!

Note: you can make these ahead of time, and refrigerate them for the next day. Just be sure to tightly wrap them so the marshmallows don’t dry out.

*Bonus Recipe*

Bonus Recipe